Self-righting toy with spring mounted figure



May 29, 1951 A. A. ANTHONY SELF-RIGHTING TOY WITH SPRING MOUNTED FIGURE Filed Nov. 5, 1948 FIG. I.

INVENTOR.

A TTOIA/[Y Patented May 29, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SELF-RIGHTING TOY WITH SPRING MOUNTED FIGURE This invention relates to toys and more especially to self-righting toys.

One object of the invention isto provide a self-righting toy that will oscillate hack and forth on an underlying surface as it comes back to a state of rest in an upright position, and that encloses within a transparent cover a figure that is mounted for oscillation at a different frequency from that at which the toy itself oscillates. This invention makes the oscillation of the toy contribute energy to further the oscillation of the figure and it makes the figure more animated as the toy itself rocks on its base.

Some features of the invention relate to the construction of the toy with an opaque base and a transparent upper portion, and with the base weighted to obtain the desired self-righting effeet. The chamber within the transparent dome of the toy has a fioor with an opening through which the resilient mounting for the figure extends, and this opening is as large as the maxi mum intended stroke of the spring on which the figure is mounted.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will appear or be pointed out as the description proceeds.

In the drawing forming a part hereof, in which like reference characters indicate correspond-- ing parts in all the views:

Figure l is a vertical sectional View of a toy embodying this invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-4 of Figure 1.

The toy comprises an egg-shaped container which includes a bottom portion i2 and an upper, dome shaped portion l3 that fits against a shoulder at the upper edge of the bottom portion 12. The upper and lower portions of the container are preferably made of plastic material and connected together by cement or other adhesive, and the sizes of the parts are so related. that they present a substantially continuous eggshaped surface when in assembled relation. Other shapes can be used if desired, but it is a feature of the construction that the lower outside surface of the bottom portion !2 rounded and capable of rocking on a supporting surface. A cylindrical surface can be used, but a substantially spherical surface is much to be preferred because of its universal rocking movement.

The bottom portion I2 is preferably opaque, and the upper portion I3 is transparent. There is a partition comprising a floor 14 at the lower end of the chamber enclosed by the upper portion it. This floor is secured to the bottom por tion [2 by cement or other adhesive and there is an opening [5 at the center region of the floor Hi.

Within the bottom portion Hi there is a stud ii that extends upward toward the floor I4, and this stud has a reduced diameter portion which fits into the lower end of a coil spring I8. figure 28, in the chamber enclosed by the upper portion 13, has an extension that fits down into the upper end of the spring 58. The figure 23 is thus supported from the stud H by the spring H3, and the intermediate portion of the spring. between its connections with the stud IT and figure 26, is free to bend so that the figure 2t and the upper part of the spring !8 are free to vibrate with respect to the stud l1 and other: rigid parts of the container. The opening 55 is made with a diameter at least as large as the maximum intended stroke or amplitude of vibra tion of the upper end of the spring [8.

The toy may be weighted in various ways, but it is preferably made of plastic and the weigh supplied by putting a heavy washer 25 over the stud ii and as far down as possible on the stud i's. This washer 25 is held in place by pin 2 The weight 25 is heavy enough, in proportion to other parts of the toy, to locate the center of gravity of the entire toy in a low position which causes the toy to return to an upright position whenever it is tilted to any side.

When the stability of the toy is disturbed, it rocks back and forth on its rounded base and oscillates through strokes of decreasing amplitude until it comes to rest with the upper dome portion l3 at the top of the toy, as shown in Figure 1.

It is a feature of the construction that the figure 2B is light in proportion to the strength of the spring It so that the period of oscillation of the figure 2i) and spring 18 has a fre quency substantially higher than the frequency at which the toy oscillates on its base or bottom portion [2. This produces an interaction between the oscillation of the figure 2B and the oscillation of the support to which the lower part of the spring i8 is connected. The figure 28, having a mass much less than that of the entire toy, is affected much more by the oscillations of the toy than the entire container is by the oscillations or vibrations of the figure 20. The interaction increases the animation of the figure and makes the figure appear more lifelike 3 as it moves with respect to the rocking floor on which the figure appears to be standing.

The preferred embodiment of the invention has been described but changes and modifications can be made, and some features of the inver tion can be used alone or in different combinations without departing from the invention a defined in the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A container having a rounded bottom portion and a hollow transparent cover connected with the upper end of the bottom portion, said container having its center of gravity located near the lower end of the bottom portion and in such a position that the container oscillates on a supporting surface and comes to rest when the cover is in an upright position, a figure located within the space under the transparent cover, and a spring connecting the figure with the container, said spring having a frequency of oscillation substantially higher than the quency of oscillation of the container on the supporting surface so that rolling movement of the container sets up irregular movements of the figure in the container.

2. A toy comprising an opaque rounded base, a transparent dome connected to the upper end of the base, a floor at the bottom of the space enclosed by the dome, a figure located within said space, the base being substantially heavier than the dome and having its outside surface so curved with respect to the center of gravity that the toy oscillates on a supporting surface and comes to rest when the dome is uppermost, a spring connected to the figure and extending through a hole in said floor, a connection located at a substantial distance below the floor and joining the lower end of the spring to the base,

said spring and figure having a frequency of vibration greater than the frequency of the oscillation of the toy on a supporting surface, and the hole in said floor being at least as great as the stroke through which the spring and figure are intended to vibrate.

3. An egg-shaped balancing toy comprising hollow upper and lower portions, the lower portion being opaque and constituting the larger end of the egg-shape, and the upper portion being transparent, a partition providing a fioor across the lower part of the space enclosed with in the transparent portion of the toy, a stud extending part way up and only part Way up from the bottom of the lower portion toward the par tition, a weight attached to the stud, said weight being of sufiieient mass to bring the toy to rest in an upright position whenever the toy is rocked out of such a position, a figure located in the space enclosed by the transparent upper portion, and a coil spring extending through an opening in the partition, said spring supportin; the figure and said spring having its upper end connected with the figure and its lower end connected with the stud at a substantial distance below the partition.

ALFRED A. ANTHONY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,223,507 Mathias Apr. 24, 1917 1,394,669 DaCosta Oct. 25,1921 1,394,670 DaCosta Oct. 25, 1921 2,184,675 Kehm Dec. 26, 1939 

